Man Beats Up Frail Neighbor Who Was his Friend: Out-Of Character Behavior

Tuesday,July28th,2009

Fourth paragraph from the end reads: "Rod Hunt, in mitigation, said his client had been mixing alcohol with anti-depressant tablets, which had made him turn violent."

Paragraphs four & five read: "In a letter to the court, Mr Hodgson described Summersgill as a decent man and said the brutal assault was out-of-character."

"The pair were friends at the time, and Summersgill and his partner, Heather Barnett, acted as carers for their neighbour."

Paragraphs seven & eight read: "Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said that without warning, Summersgill turned to his housebound friend and said he would kill him."

"He then grabbed him by the throat and squeezed tightly as he pushed him onto a bed in his front room."

SSRI Stories Note: The Physicians Desk Reference states that

antidepressants can cause a craving for alcohol and alcohol abuse. Also, the liver cannot metabolize the antidepressant and the alcohol simultaneously, thus leading to higher levels of both alcohol and the antidepressant in the human body.

Man jailed for threats to kill frail neighbour

A DRUNK who throttled a wheelchair- bound neighbour after threatening to kill him was yesterday jailed for four years.

Paul Summersgill left the frail pensioner on the floor of his home and stole his mobile phone and spectacles before fleeing.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Bernard Hodgson, 65, blacked out during the attack, which left him covered in wounds and bruises.

In a letter to the court, Mr Hodgson described Summersgill as a decent man and said the brutal assault was out-of-character.

The pair were friends at the time, and Summersgill and his partner, Heather Barnett, acted as carers for their neighbour.

On the day of the attack, April 9, Summersgill had been at Mr Hodgson’s home watching television and drinking his beer.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said that without warning, Summersgill turned to his housebound friend and said he would kill him.

He then grabbed him by the throat and squeezed tightly as he pushed him onto a bed in his front room.

On the brink of consciousness, Mr Hodgson then had his face pushed into a pillow.

Summersgill then loosened his grip and took the phone and glasses.

After a short time, Summersgill threw a chair at Mr Hodgson, knocking him to the floor.

Mr Newcombe said: “He then straddled him, using his knees on the victim’s shoulders to pin him to the floor. He again put his hands around the victim’s throat, strangling him and striking him repeatedly across the face.”

Rod Hunt, in mitigation, said his client had been mixing alcohol with anti-depressant tablets, which had made him turn violent.